Lake Havasu, CA

Saturday, February 14, 2015---Happy Valentine's Day in Lake Havasu City

Destination: The London Bridge, Lake Havasu City

“Try to stop at Lake Havasu! It's beautiful!,” Sandy said when we told her about our Southwest trip. As a history note, Lake Havasu was formed by damming the Colorado River (Parker Dam); consequently Lake Havasu City grew up overnight. So, here we are in the middle of a sprawling desert town which looks like so many other “sprawling” desert towns through which we have driven. Our goal was to see the London Bridge, a transplant from London, England to Lake Havasu City:

After driving over London Bridge we parked our car in hopes of getting a better view, and, of course, to walk over the London Bridge. What a transformation! It was like walking from the desert into an oasis, and everyone was at the “watering hole”. It happened to be a long holiday weekend, and it was Valentine's Day. Miami Vice (as Lou calls them-- “drug running”) style, high-speed, sleek, racing boats lined the Bridgewater Channel to Lake Havasu. Dune buggies had their own parking area at the channel, and along with motorcycles and sports cars they zipped around the city streets. Young families were playing in the water alongside their mega-bucks boats, or young men were cruising the channel in them looking for pick-ups. “Where do all these boats come from?” , we wondered in awe. A couple on a park bench answered, “Movie stars and executives come here from CA; it's a short jaunt, and CA doesn't have many inland lakes.”

After walking the channel we spent the afternoon at a cafe chatting, watching the parade, and enjoying a gorgeous Valentine's Day afternoon. Now we understand why that same man on the park bench made the remark, “Some people want to go to heaven after they die; I want to go to Havasu.”